Winder.



H. D. CLMAN.

Eaien'ed July 28, 19M,

9 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H. D. GOLMAN.

Y WINDBR.

APPLICATION FILED 13110.22, 1909.

Patented July 28, 1914 y 9 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

IHIIIII IIIIIIIIIINIIII sf- -1 1111 n x u www mi l www? .1

H. D. COLMAN.

v WINDBR. APPLIGATON FILED DEC.22,1909.

Patented July 28, 1914.

9 SHEETS-SHBET 3.

CCCCCC N.

WWWWW B..

A IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 9.

SSSSSSSSSSSSS 4.

H. D. COLMAN.

WINDBR. Y

APPLICATION FILED DBO.22,1909.

1,105,065. Patented July 28, 1914.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

@Zio/S555! H. D. COLMAN.

WINDBR.

APPLICATION FILED 13130.22, 1909.

Patented July 28, 1914.

9- SHEBTSMSHEET 8.

ZT/QMAZKM H. D. GOLMAN.

WINDBR.

APPLIGATION FILED 13110.22, 1909. A

. Patented July 28, 19M.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

H. D. COLMAN.

WINDER.

EL 15,0658 APPLKOATION FILED DBO. 22, 1909. 28, 9 9 SHEETS-*SHEET 8.

MHT,

H. D. COLMAN.

WINDER.

APPLICATION FILED 1350.22, 1909. 1,105,065. Patented July 28, 1914.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

U'NTTED sTATns PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD D. COLMAN, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HOWARD D. COLMAN, LUTHER L. MIL-LER, AND HARRY A. SEVERSON, COPAIRTNERS AS BARBER-COLMAN COMPANY, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

wn'mER.

T o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HOWARD D. CQLMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockford, in the county ofWVinnebago. and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful: Improvements in VVinders, of which the following is a specification.

In textile mills the preparation of a warp involves the unwinding of the yarn from cops or bobbins onto spools, and the unwmding of the yarn from the spools onto a beam.

Generally stated, the purpose of this 1nvention is to dispense with the spooling operation, and Wind the yarn directly from the bobbins onto the beam.

The number of threads wound upony a beam is considerable, hence a large number of bobbin supports mustk be provided if the threads are to be wound directly upon the beam. Inorder to economize in manual labor and inl space, it is imperative that these bobbin-supports be compactly arranged', but., onthe other'hand, the bobbinsupports must be so disposed that individual] bobbins and the strands extending therefrom shall be readily accessible to the operatives. the strands should be prevented from tangling, and the bobbinsand. strands should be so arranged that kthey shall not accumulate lint and other foreign matter.

The object of the invention is to produce a. bobb-in-supporting meansl or creel, that shall fulfil the practical requirements above outlined.;

A Winder embodying my invention comprises amachine commonly called a warper and an apparatus which will be hereinafter denominated a lcreel.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is aside elevation: of a warper andl Fig. 2 a fragmental side 'elevation of a creel which maybe used in carrying out the invention. Fig. 3 is a fragmentalf top pla-n vlew of the creel. Inthis view the thread-guiding table is omitted, its outlines," however, being indicated by dot-and-dash lines. Fig. 4. is a front endl elevation of the Creel, showing a-lso two* auxiliary creels for reserve bobbins. Fig. 5 is a' top plan view representmg the manner bf using said auxiliary creels.

Fig; 6 is a sectional .view taken in the plane Specification of Letters Patent.

Applicatioxtled December 22, 1909. Serial N o. 534,435.

Patented July 28, 1914.

of dotted line 6-6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an end View of one of the extension slides upon which the movable sections of the creel are supported. Figs. 8 and 9 are sections on lines 8 8 and 9-9, respectively, of Fig 7. Flg. 10 is a fragmental side elevation of one of the movable Creel-sections above re-` ferred to, showing one of the clusters of bobbin spindles contained in said Creel-sections. Fig. 10a is a fragmental view similar to Fig. 10, but showing the-bobbin cluster 1n another position. Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view of the Creel-sections and one of the clusters therein. Fig. 12 is a fragvment-al top plan view of three Creel-sections showingl their relative arrangement. Fig. 13|. is an underside view of one of the clusters. Fig. 14 illustrates the manner of placing a bobbin upon a spindle of the cluster. Fig 15 is a fragmental topy plan view of the thread-guiding means located above the movable Creel-sections. Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the thread-tensioning and cleaning means. Fig. 17 yis a fragmental top plan View of the thread-tensioning and cleaning means. Fig. 18 is a detail View of a member comprised in said means.

The Warper which has been selected for illustration herein comprises means for rotatably supporting a beam 1, a drive shaft 2, and suitable connections. for transmitting motion from the drive Shaft to the beam. Any preferred mechanism may be provided for automatically stopping the wai-per upon the breakage of a thread,- said mechanism in this instance including drop wires 3. Forward .of the drop Wires isv an expans'ible comb 4 through which the threads run, "and by means iof which. the threads may bef properly spaced on the beam. Rearward of the drop. wires the yarn. passes over a` measuring roll 5,j andy rearwardof said' roll is lo-v cated a tensioning mechanism. One form yof tensioning mechanism which may be used with this invention` is illustrated `in detaill in Figs. 16, 17v and 18. It comprises an endless apron 6 of canvas or other suitable flexible material, saidapron being of sufficient. width tov underlie and support the sheet of threads being wound. Said apron extends over two rollers 7 and 8 and across a bar 9. Preferably the apron 6 is positively7 moved, the means herein shown for moving it consisting of a ratchet wheel 10 (Fig. 1)xed upon the shaft 11 of the roller 8, an arm 12 loose on the-shaft 11 and carrying a pawl 13 engaging the ratchet wheel, a cam 14 on the shaft 2, and a spring 15 holding the arm 12 in Contact with the cam, although it is apparent that the apron may be moved constantly by suitable mechanism instead of intermittently., if desired The sheet of threads extends between a member 16 and that portion of the apron which l'ies between the bar 9 and the roller 7. The member 16 is attached to two arms 17 which are hinged to the frame of the machine at 18, and by its weight the member 16 holds the sheet of threads against the apron.

In order, however, to insure uniform tension upon all of the threads, means is provided for drawing the apron against the member 16. To this end the member 16 is in the form of a tube and has a longitudinal slot 19 in its lower side of such length as to extend from one side of the sheet of threads to the other. One end of the tube 16 is closed by a plug 20 (Fig. 18), while the other end is connected by suitable means, as a hose 21, with a suctionv pump (not shown) or any other preferred means for creating an exhaust air current in said tube. When a suction pump is employed for that purpose, a dust collector of some "form should be inserted between the suction pump and the tube. Byreason of said air current all portions of the width of the apron 6 are held with uniform pressure against the tube 16, thereby placing tension upon the individual threads. The air current serves also to remove dust, lint and other foreign matter from the threads as they pass beneath the tube 16. The threads travel much faster than the apron 6, hence some of the foreign matter carried by the threads is rubbed ofi'. A portion of the dirt thus loosened is removed by the air current, while another portion is carried away by the apron, from whence it is removed by a suitable means, such asa stationary brush 22 contacting the apron. Of course, a rotary brush, with means for driving it, may be provided in place of the stationary brush if a rotary brush is desirable.

The suction tube 16 may be lifted'off the apron when it becomes necessary to pass ak thread through the tensioning mechanism.

The movability of the apron serves to prevent localized wear of the apron due to the friction of the threads. Y v

The 'creelillustra-ted in the present drawings comprises an elongated, relatively low supporting frame 23 arranged with one of its ends adjacent to the rear side of the warper. Upon the top of said frame are placed the bobbin-supports, said supports being accessible to the operative from the slide 31 and the frame of the creel.

sides of the creel. Above the bobbin-supports and carried by the frame 23 is stationary means for guiding the threads extending from the bobbins to the warper. In order that the bobbin-supports may occupy a minimum amount of space and yet be readily accessible to the creel operative, the bobbinsupports are divided in groups, the groups being compactly arranged side by side, and each group being vvithdrawable from its usual place among the groups in order that the members of any group may be inspected and handled lby the Creel operative. The parts are so arranged that the withdrawal of a group from its normal position does not interfere with the unwinding of the bobbins in said group. The structure by means of which each group of bobbin-supports is thus movably supported will be hereinafter termed a drawer. As shown in Figs. 2, 3, 10 and 11, each drawer 24 consists of an elongated case having closed ends, a closed forward side 25, an open rear side, a bottom wall 26 and-a top wall 27. The drawers 24 are mounted for longitudinal movement, the direction of drawer movement being trans` verse of the creel. Each drawer is longitudinally movable in either direction out of its normal position, so that the creel operative may have access to its contents at whichever side of the creelhe may happen to be; and inorder that each drawer 24 may be withdrawn far enough to afford access to all the bobbin spindles therein, it is supported upon an extension slide constructed in this instance as follows:

Referring to Figs. 7, 8 and 9: .A channel bar 28 is fixed to the bottom of each drawer, and carries upon the outer sides of its flanges four rollers 29. The channel bar 28 runs u on a roller 30 fixed at each end of a sli e 31, said slide having two rails 32 with which the rollers 29 make underrunning contact. 'The slide 31 comprises a channel bar 33 su ported on rollers 34 at the edges of the rame 23. Upon the outer sides of the flanges ofthe channel bar 33 are mounted two pairs of rollers 35 adapted to run in contact with the lower sides of rails 36 fixed to the frame 23. Relative movement in one direction between the drawer 24 and the slide 31 is limited by cooperating stops 37 38 fixed to the drawer and the slide, respectively, while Vrelative movement in the opposite direction is limited by similar stops 39 40. Stops 41 42 43 44 limit relative movement between the Each drawer 24 Ycontains a suitable number of bobbin-supports. While these supports may be of any preferred construction, they are herein" shown as consisting of clusters of bobbin spindles, there being four spindles in each cluster. The construction of the clusters is best shown in Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive. Each is rotatably attached to the bottom of the drawer by means of a ring fixed to saidbottom, and having notches 46 (Fig, 18). A base 47 is adapted to rest on the ring 45 and'has hooks 48 which are adapted topass through the notches 46 and engage below the inturned flange of the ring when the base is given a partial rotation. Upon the` base 47 are four pairs of lugs 49. Four springs 50 .are `fixed to the base 47 and extend between the lugs 49.

Each bobbin spindle 51 has its base portion pivotally mounted between two of the lugs 49 .and has a pin 52 that lies in notches in the lower sides of said lugs, the pin being held in said notches by the spring 5() bearing upon the lower end of the spindle.

In the top wall of the drawer is an eye through which extends the thread unwound from the bobbins of a cluster. The bobbin spindles 51 are alli inclined so as to lie in a straight line extending from their pivotal supports to ,said eye, in which position they arereIeaSably held by the springs 50. The springs will yield to permit the spindles to be swung by the creel operative into the osition indicated in Fig. 14 for the insertlon and removal of bobbins` Between t-he spindles 51 of each cluster are partitions 53. The clusters are located within individual compartments formed in the drawer by partitions 54.

The threads upon the four bobbins of ka cluster are tied together end to end .by the operative so as to orm a continuous thread, the bobbins being unwound successively.

As shown in Figs. 1Q and 11, the upper end,

a of the yarn on bobbin a is the portion rst unwound; the lower end a2 on bobbin a isy connected to the upper end Z1 on bobbin b," the lower end 'Z22 on bobbin b is attached totheupper end c on bobbin c; and the lower end 02 on bobbin c is tied to the upper end d on bobbin d. The lower end d2 on bobbin CZ is passed around a hook 55 on one -of the partitions 54 and thence carried to a spring clamp 5.6 on the opposite partition v54.

In the upper wall. 27 of each compartment is a centrally located eye 57 through which the thread passes during winding. A slot 58 extends from the eye 57 to the rearedge of the to wall 27. At the entrance end of said s otl and at the left-hand side (Fig. 12) of the eye 57 is a hook 59 having thereon an upwardly extending lug 60, while at the right-hand side of the eye is a spring clampv 61. Preparatory to putting a cluster in use, the end-a is passed through the slot 58, laid across the hook Y59v and behind the lug 60 and secured in the clamp 61.

The means for guiding the yarn from the eyes 57 to the warper comprises, in this instance, a table 62 secured to the frame of the creel `and overlying the drawers 24. The vforward end yof said table is extended to a point close to the ltensioning mechanism, as shown in Fig. 16. The table 62 may be constructed in any suitable way. Insaid table are formed longitudinally extending thread grooves 63 (liigs. 10 and 15), `one groove being provided foreach thread that the creel is adapted to handle. Extending through the bottom of each groove is an opening 64 located in positlon to register with an eye 57, so that a thread may extend through saideye and said opening and be drawn through the groove and into the warper. To `enable ltne operative to insert an implement in the opening 64 and pick up a. thread extending between the hook 59 and the clamp 6.1, said opening is in the form of a slot, `as shown in Figs. 11 and 15. A thread -thus .picked up moves through the slot 58` into the eye 57.

The end of the slot 64 through which the thread leaves may be reinforced by a member 65 of glass or other suitable hard and smooth material, said member also serving to prevent abrasion of the thread.

At the forward end of the table 62is a V'spacing `comb 66 (Figs. 5 and 16).

A drawer 24 may be entirely withdrawn fromy its place between two other drawers .without interfering with the movement of the yarn through the eyes 57 in said drawer and through the corresponding openings 64 in the table. In order., however, that the yarn may run as freely as possible when the drawer occupies its normal position, the drawers are preferably so arranged that in their normal position they are progressively offset with relation to each other, so as to place the eyes 57 directly under the openings 64.v To this end the drawers are seured to the channel bars 28 as shown in `ig. 3.

Occasionally a thread being wound will break, and to vobviate the necessity for locating at the time the cluster whose thread has broken, I provide auxiliary bobbinsup` ports arranged in position for convenient manipulation by the creel operative and the -warper operative. These auxiliary bobbin-supports may consist oftwo stationary creels 67 each generally similar to one of the drawers 24, and arranged one at each side of the main creel and adjacent to the warper. The creels 67 are, of course, far enough away from the maincreel to permit of pulling the adjacent drawers 24 out to Vtheir full extent.A Each creel 67 contains a suitable number of compartments containing clusters of bobbin spindles similar" to the clusters in the drawers 24, .and each compartment is provided with thread-ho-lding devices similar to .the parts 55 56 59 -60 6l.

Assumingthe desired number of clusters to be supplied with bobbins, and the threads from the clusters extending through the eyes 57, the openings 64K and the grooves 63 to and through the warner to the beam 1, the operation is as follows:

The creel operative keeps the clusters supplied with bobbins by pulling out the drawers 24 and replacing any empty l bins therein with full bobbins. In replacing bobbins, the creel operative releases the end d2 from the clamp 56, turns the cluster to bring the empty bobbin to the open rear side of the compartment, .swings the bobbin into the position shown in Fig. 14, pulls of the empty bobbin, puts a full bobbin on the spindle, swings the spindle into its nor` mal position, ties the upper end of the yarn on the new bobbin to the end d2, turns the cluster to place the bobbins in thecorners of the compartment as shown in Fig. 12, and carries the lower end of the `yarn on the new bobbin around the hook 55 and into the clamp 56. The various steps of the cluster-replenishing operation are substantially the same whether one, two or three bobbins are replaced.

Forwardlyrof the tensioning mechanism,

the threads are subject to tension due to the tensioning mechanism and towhatever friction may be-caused by the unwinding and their passage through the eyes 57 and the openings G4, while rearwardly of said mechanism the only tension upon the threads is that due to said friction. Thread breakages are relatively infrequent, but of those that do occur the major portion happen in the region of greater tension, to wit, forward'of the tensioning mechanism, where the warper operative canrreadily take care of them.

In remedying a break, if the bobbin end be forward or adjacent to the tensioningmechanism, the warper operative picks up the bobbin end, draws it forward and ties it to the broken thread-end upon the beam. If the bobbin end be too far back to be read- 4 ily located by the warper operative, he takes an end from one of the auxiliary creels; passes it through the appropriate space in the comb 66 and through the tensioning mechanism, and ties it to the broken thread upon the beam as before. The creel operative opens the drawers of the creel in rotation and replaces -the one or more empty bobbins upon each cluster with filled bobbins, tying the thread ends of the bobbins together as hereinbefore specified. The free end of the thread on the first bobbin, or in the case of a broken thread, the free broken end` is placed by the operative upon the hook 59 and in the clamp 61. v

When all the auxiliary clusters have been put into use the warper operative stops the warper, and inserting a suitable hook through the proper slot 64, engages the thread end placed in the clamp 61 by the creel operative for that purpose and pulls said end through the slot. This operation is repeated until a number of threads have been gathered, whereupon the operative carries all of said thread ends forward toward the warper and ties each thread to the reserve thread that has been running in its place from the auxiliary cluster. The ends of the reserve threads are then replaced upon the auxiliary clusters in position to be taken by the operative when another running thread breaks.

Two or more creel operatives may be employed, if desired, and in such case each opv erative attends to a certain specied section of the creel.

The drawers may be withdrawn at any warper is not running, otherwise slack will occur inthe threads and will be likely to kink and tangle when the warper starts.

I have provided clusters of four bobbins instead of a lesser number in order to enable the operative to supply each cluster with two or more bobbins at each serving, thereby avoiding the frequent handling of the drawers.

When a relatively small lnumber of threads is to be wound, the comb 4 is expanded so as to lay the threads properly on the beam, and only the required number-of clusters is supplied with bobbins, those clus ters being placed in use which will permit of the threads being spaced upon the' table\ 62 as nearly like the spacing in the comb as isiconveniently possible. l

It will be seen that inthe creel herein shown the bobbins are arranged very compactly and vet are readily accessible to the creel operative. An advantage of the clus' ter arrangementherein shown is that all of vthe clusters are located` at a convenient height. v

' It will also be noted that the strands are kept entirely separate from one another, thereby preventing tangling and 'facilitat- 1n g the handling of the threads. Moreover the strands are all vin Ythe same horizontal plane, hence dirt' cannot fall from one thread onto another. The advantage just mentioned is found` also in the bobbin artime, but should not be replaced when the 1 st l rangement, all of the clusters being in one horizontal plane.

I 'would have it understood that the invention is not limited to the details herein described, for various modifications will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A creel lcomprising bobbin-supports divided into groups, one of said groups being slidably withdrawable from its normal position among the groups, and means for guiding running threads extending from said group when in either of its positions.

2. A creel comprising a reciprocable bob- Y side through which access may be had to bin-support, thread-guiding means recipro- Cable with said support, and a stationary guide for a thread extending from the reciprocable guiding means.

3. The Combination, with a Cluster of bobbin spindles, of partitions between the spindles to separate the running thread of one bobbin from the other bobbins.

4. In a Creel, a bobbin support; a yarn guide above said support; a thread-clamp adjacent to said guide; and means for guidin'g a thread from the Clamp to said guide.

5. A Creel comprising a plurality of supports which are slidably mounted for movement with relation to each other, a plurality of bobbin-spindle clusters on each of said supports, and means slidable with each support for guiding threads extending from the Clusters.

6. A Creel comprising af plurality oil drawers, a plurality of bobbin-spindle clusters in each of said drawers, and' means attached to each drawer for guiding threads extending fromthe clusters.

7. A Creel comprising an elongated frame, groups of bobbin-supports Carried by said frame, said groups being longitudially movable transversely of said frame, and means connected to and moving with each group for guiding threads extending from the bobbin-supports.

8. A Creel comprising an elongated frame, and groups of bobbin-supports carried b -said frame, said groups being longitudinally movable transversely of said. frame and to either side of the frame.

9. A Creel comprising an elongated frame, a plurality of drawers carried by said frame, said drawers being longitudinally movable transversely of the frame, a plurality of bobbin-supports in each of said drawers, andmeans attached to each drawer for guiding threads extending from the bobbin-supports.

10. A Creel comprising a frame, a plurality of drawers arranged in a single horizon` tal plane on said frame a plurality of bobbin-supportsin each of said drawers, and means attached to each drawer for guiding threads extending from the bobbin-supports.

11. A Creel comprisinga frame, a plurali ity of elongated drawers arranged for lon- 'tudinal movement transversely of the rame, and a plurality of bobbin-supports in each drawer, each drawer having an open the bobbin-supports.

12. A Creel comprising an elongated frame, a plurality of drawers arranged side by side in a single horizontal plane on said frame, an extension slide device upon which each drawer is mounted and by means of which the drawer may be moved to either side of the frame, and a plurality of bobbinsupports in each of said drawers.

.14. A thread-guiding means for creels Comprising a structure having individual openings for the threads to be wound and individual grooves each Communicating with one of said openings, and each adapted to contain and guide a thread.

15. The combination of a warper, bobbinsupports, and thread-guiding means com prising means for partitioning off eachthread from all the` other threads during its travel from thev bobbin-supports to the warper.

16. The Combination of a warper, bobbinsupports, and a groeved structure extending from the bobbin-supports to the wai-per, thel grooves of said structure receiving and guiding individual threads.

17. A thread-guiding means for Creels comprising a table having aI threadadmitting openings therethrough, and a groove extending from each of said openings to one end of the table.

18. A creel Comprising a horizontally arranged body of bobbin-supports and a sii-- perposed horizontally-arranged table having thread-receiving openings in operative relation with the bobbin-supports, and a groove communicating with each of said openings for receiving and partitioning oli' veach thread from all the other threads.

19. The Combination, with a warper having a tensioning mechanism, of an elongated Creel arranged with one of its ends adjacent to the warper, the bobbin-supports of said Creel being arranged in a horizontal plane, and an elongated horizontally-arranged table superposed upon the Creel and having one of its ends arranged adjacent to the tensioning mechanism, said table being grooved for the recept-ion of the individual threads being wound.

20. The combination, with a Cluster of bobbin-spindles, of guide means for the thread to be unwound, and means adjacent to said guide means for supporting a length of the thread preparatory to the unwindnig operation.

21. The combination with a Cluster of bobbin-spindles, of a part located above the cluster and having therein an eye for the thread to be unwound and a slot leading to said eye, and means for supporting .at two points a thread extending through said slot.

22. In a Creel, an elongated box-like structure, one long vertical side of which is open, and bobbin-supports within Ysaid structure, and mounted upon the bottom thereof, said structure having thread guiding `means above the bobbin-supports.Y

23. In a Creel, an elongated box-like structure, one long vertical side of which is open, bobbin-supports within said structure and plurality of.

` for supportingand rotatin mounted upon vthe bottom thereof, and a thread-end holder on the top Wall of said structure, said Wall having a ani-guiding opening therein above each bobbin support and an open-end slot extending from the edge of said wall to said opening.l

24. In a Winder, bobbin supports, means a Warp beam to which threads from the obbins extend, and a table located intermediate the bobbin supports and the beam-supporting and r0- tating means, said table having grooves therein to receive and guide the threads.

25. In a creel, an elongated box-like structure; a series of bobbin supports extending longitudinally of and Within said structure; and a series of-thread'giides connected to. said structure and extending longitudinally thereof and above the series of bobbin supv ports.

26. In a creel, a bobbin support; a plate having a thread-guiding opemng above said support; a thread-end holder on said plate; and a `hook for guiding a thread to said ends adjacent to the Warper, the bobbn supports of said Creel being arran ed in a horizontal plane; and an elongate horizontally arranged table above the Creel 'and having one of its ends adjacent to the Warper, said table being grooved for the reception of the individual threads being wound.

HOWARD D. COLMAN.

Witnesses:

C. PAUL.- PARKER, MATILDA M. DAIEY. 

